AN intrepid band of adventurers from Yarlside School in Barrow took off for a weekend at an activity centre in 1994.

Thirty-one pupils from years four, five and six set off in November with Mr and Mrs Kennedy and Mrs Waite for the Kingswood Centre.

The center was set in extensive grounds on the Shropshire and Staffordshire border and offered an exciting mix of outdoor pursuits, environmental study, educational visits and the world of information technology.

Pupils worked either individually or in teams and collected data, ideas and insights from various activities. They also recorded their personal feelings of trepidation, confidence and exhilaration as they tackled climbing from the ground to the top of a climbing tower.

They used their experiences as the raw material for their computer seminars each day. The idea was that this transformed the computer into a tool that solved problems and helped them and made learning computer skills both fun and relevant.

The style and nature of the course allowed pupils to begin instruction at any level and to learn and advance at their own pace.

The school reported that the weekend was a most enjoyable and exhausting one for all involved.

The Mail printed some of the comments from Yarlside pupils.

Heather wrote: "One day we did some archery. A lady told us how to do it safely and right. We played a game and the people who got the most points won."

Adam wrote: "When we got there, there was a woman called Super Gran. She took us around Kingswood.

"First we did fencing. Second, we played on the computers and then it was time to get out things unpacked.

"In the morning I had my breakfast then we went swimming and did orienteering. That was brilliant.

"Then we did archery - the teacher was singing all the time."

Adam concluded: "It was a brilliant weekend."

In 1997 The Mail was on hand to take photographs at Yarlside School's gala.